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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

"Waiting On Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at “Breaking the Spine”, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

My Pick This Week!

Click image to go to Goodreads page.

Description

Bitterblue is a companion book to both Graceling and Fire and takes place in the seven kingdoms eight years after Graceling. This third book will tie all three books together in some way. Bitterblue is the sixteen-year-old protagonist, and Katsa, Po, Giddon, Helda, and other characters from Graceling will be part of the fabric of the book. (Goodreads)

Book Details

Title: Bitterblue

Author: Kristin Cashore

Genre: YA, Fantasy

Hardcover: 576 pages

Publisher: Dial

Release Date: May 1, 2012

ISBN-10: 0803734735

ISBN-13: 978-0803734739

Why I’m Waiting?

I love the cover!!! Do you see the face?

I loved Graceling, and Fire was absolutely amazing! Put them together and The Seven Kingdom series is completely EPIC!!! I could not be more excited about Bitterblue. Yes, it has already been on the blog, it will probably be on again…I just really want this book!!! If Bitterblue is anything like Graceling and Fire I have prepared myself to be blown away:)

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Before I even Paste the book cover let me tell you that Kelly fussed at me last night for not having all ready downloaded Anathema. “Becca! It is free at Amazon go get it what are you waiting on?!?!” So unless you want to get fussed at to because I’m sure she will try to stop by some today I suggest you go get your free copy too:) Now on to the Bending The Spine norm:

Description

Forget prophecy. Make your own destiny.

Sheltered from the outside world with no hope for escape, slave girl Reychel dreads her fifteenth birthday - when her master’s symbol is burned on the back of her bald scalp. Her best friend disappears the night before, leaving her to face the branding ceremony alone. She soon discovers nothing is as it seems when people desperate for freedom beg for Reychel's help.

I follow Megg Jensen on Facebook and she posted that Anathema was listed as free on Amazon, so I hurried over and got my copy. I had been meaning to read it for a while. I don't know why I waited so long, because I could not put it down. I liked it so much that as soon as I finished reading it I bought the next book, Oubliette and finished reading it before I went to bed. I made myself wait til the next day to buy, Severed, the third in the series.

The book, actually all of this series, starts out running and doesn't really have a slow point. I love it when a book just keeps moving along. The story begins on Reychel's fifteenth birthday, when she wakes up and realizes her best friend Ivy, also a slave, is not in her bed. In Ivy's place is a coin, an anathema, with a mother and child on it. Anathema are usually left in place of a rescued slave and Reychel convinces the other slaves that Ivy has just left for her work earlier. Reychel is freaked out because she will have to face her branding without her BFF and the baby on the coin WINKED at her. Yeah and that is just the start of the book, it does not let up. Reychel is placed in a dungeon because of a story that she tells the king and is rescued by the same people that rescued Ivy and is sent to live with Johna, whom I love, to learn to use her gift.

Reychel and almost all of the people native to her island are enslaved by the Malborn, foreign invaders. Reychel's is one of the gifted of her people, but she had no idea until Ivy, who is also gifted, tells her. Ivy can calm anyone down, but not only that she can sooth them so much that she messes with their minds. This is also about the time that Reychel learns that the only person ever born with the gift of prophecy gave a prophecy that the next person born with the gift would free the enslaved people.

You know Reychel is different from the start, because the king never allows her to go outside or even look out a window unless she is in his presence. Don't worry I'm not going to give away anything else, except to say that Mark is awesome. You'll love him too. Because you are going to go get this book...which is still free on Amazon if you have a Kindle.

Monday, November 28, 2011

Stacy Justice did not expect to be set on fire that night, but being raised by witches prepares one for life's little surprises. In fact, she isn't the least bit shocked when her cousin is accused of arson, or when her divorced grandparents sign up for a marriage retreat, or even when her own boyfriend hauls her off to jail. But when a decades-old secret is discovered within the walls of her cousin's bar, even Stacy is rattled. Now, someone wants her dead and she finds herself dodging angry motorists, exploding chickens and a very creepy man who lurks around every corner. As she begins to dig up the past, Stacy learns that even those closest to her have something to hide--and she's about to discover a destiny she never imagined. (Goodreads)

I had a lot of fun reading Opal Fire! Opal Fire was a nice break from most of the paranormal that I’ve been reading--there were no vampires, wares, or the fey. Opal Fire is an enticing mystery with lots of witchin' good antics.

Stacy Justice is working at her cousins bar when a fire breaks out. Stacy and her huge dog just barely make it out with their lives. Stacy is also a journalist and is put on the Opal Fire story…well OK she puts herself on the story. I was completely entertained reading Stacy’s character. She went from one disaster to the next, always just scraping by before peril ensues. I also love Stacy’s sarcastic nature and quick wit. I would say that I wanted Stacy’s dog as well, but after reading about said dog's nap time…lets just say I changed my mind. (Read the book to find out what I’m talking about!)

I loved all of Stacy’s family, especially the Geraghty Girls. The Geraghty Girls consisted of Stacy’s grandmother, Birdie, and her two great aunts, Fiona and Lolly. These women are all-powerful witches in their own right and they all had me in stitches. I would love to read a prequel that was all about the hijinks of these women in their younger years.

I thought Ms. Annino did a wonderful job in creating a small town were I felt like everyone would want to be in everyone's business. The pace was upbeat which kept with the fun. By the end I definitely wanted the bad guy to be hit by a bus, (If you read my reviews you know by now it’s important for me to hate the villain.) a bus is always my weapon of choice I have no idea why:)

If your looking for something fun to beat the monotony, you should read Opal Fire. I know I will be continuing the series.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren and is a post for bloggers to share what books they've received to review, bought, won, borrowed or were gifted.

I only got one book this week but I’m excited about it.

I love this series and I haven’t read any of the bonus stories yet. Now they are neatly packaged together for just $0.99. I got mine from Amazon:) You can click the cover image to go to the Goodreads page.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

I will be with my massive family today stuffing my face with incredibly wonderful food:) But, I wanted to take a moment to tell you one of the things I am thankful for. This is actually something I will have to do again today, yep we are that family that goes around the table and tells everyone what they are thankful for. My dad started the tradition long ago and we must do it every year…so here goes mine for y’all:

I have so much to be thankful for. One of the things I am most thankful for is starting this blog. I know that it’s not Thanksgiving around the world, but wherever you are know this blogger is thankful for you. It has been such a joy to find a community in which to voice my love of books and to actually get communication back. Everyone here, on twitter, YouTube, and Goodreads is awesome and I thank you.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Aria is a teenager in the enclosed city of Reverie. Like all Dwellers, she spends her time with friends in virtual environments, called Realms, accessed through an eyepiece called a Smarteye. Aria enjoys the Realms and the easy life in Reverie. When she is forced out of the pod for a crime she did not commit, she believes her death is imminent. The outside world is known as The Death Shop, with danger in every direction.

As an Outsider, Perry has always known hunger, vicious predators, and violent energy storms from the swirling electrified atmosphere called the Aether. A bit of an outcast even among his hunting tribe, Perry withstands these daily tests with his exceptional abilities, as he is gifted with powerful senses that enable him to scent danger, food and even human emotions.

They come together reluctantly, for Aria must depend on Perry, whom she considers abarbarian, to help her get back to Reverie, while Perry needs Aria to help unravel the mystery of his beloved nephew’s abduction by the Dwellers. Together they embark on a journey challenged as much by their prejudices as by encounters with cannibals and wolves. But to their surprise, Aria and Perry forge an unlikely love - one that will forever change the fate of all who live UNDER THE NEVER SKY

The first book in a captivating trilogy, Veronica Rossi’s enthralling debut sweeps you into an unforgettable adventure. (Goodreads)

I know normally I only put the US cover up. In this case that is the cover on the left which I do like a lot don’t get me wrong. But, I fell completely in love with the UK cover on the right. The UK cover was what I put up on my Waiting on Wednesday forever ago. Now having read Under The Never Sky it is the version I want! Which one do you like more?

Review

Let me start my review by saying that I completely agree with the last sentence of Under the Never Sky’s description. I was completely captivated and enthralled by this amazing fantasy adventure! In fact when I finished the last words on my reader’s screen and pushed the button for there to be another page, realizing I had reached the end, I looked at my reader horrified and yelled “No! No! No!” I really was not ready for it to end. Yes, that is how much I liked it.

The world Veronica Rossi built in Under the Never Sky had me engrossed in the novel from the start. Under the Never Sky starts out in the city of Reverie. Reverie is really a pod community in which people live in virtual reality most of the time to pass their time. I will say that the beginning is much more Sci-Fi than the bulk of the book, which I didn’t mind,—I am a bit of a Sci-Fi nerd, so take from that what you will. As the story progresses we get to see the outside world and why people would be hiding inside. I loved all the fantasy aspects of Under the Never Sky, especially the crazy Aether storms. Do I really know why there are these strange storms? No, but it didn’t take away from the flow of the story and I have a feeling we will learn a lot more about the odd sky and weather in future books:)

Under the Never Sky is told in alternating POV between Aria and Perry. I was so scared about the alternating POV after recently being disappointed by Dearly, Departed in that aspect, but Ms. Rossi got it right. I loved Aria’s character. Aria starts out physically frail but never that way mentally, just very sheltered. It was a joy to watch Aria change and learn new things about her body as she was in the outside world. Lucky for her she has Perry to help her through those changes. Mmmm Perry, I just love the way he is written. Perry has grown up a hunter and knows what must be done in the cruel outside world to survive. He also knows how to lead and take care of others in his own way. Reading Aria and Perry’s lives slowly growing together was wonderful.

My absolute only complaint about Under the Never Sky is that now I am impatiently waiting for its sequel. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this fanciful world of an Aether filled sky and people with heightened abilities who are just trying to make it Under the Never Sky.

Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him.

But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever .

Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it. (Goodreads)

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

On Lily Sanderson’s eighteenth birthday she’ll become just a girl—still a mergirl, true, but signing the renunciation will ink Princess Waterlily of Thalassinia out of existence. That leaves plain old Lily living on land, dating the boy she loves, and trying to master this being-human thing once and for all.

Now that Lily and Quince are together, mer bond or not, she’s almost content to give up her place in the royal succession of Thalassinia. But just when she thinks she has everything figured out, the waves start to get rough. Lily’s father sends a certain whirlpool-stirring cousin to stay with her on land. What did Doe do to get herself exiled from Thalassinia and stuck in terraped form when everyone knows how much she hates humans? And why why why is she batting her eyelashes at Lily’s former crush, Brody?

The seafoam on the raging surf comes when a merboy from Lily’s past shows up—Tellin asks Lily for something that clouds her view of the horizon. There’s a future with Quince on land, her loyalty to the kingdom in the sea, and Lily tossing on the waves in the middle. Will she find a way to reconcile her love, her duty, and her own dreams?

I held off on reading Fins Are Forever until my recent vacation to Florida to get a better feel of the setting…it made sense to me. I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book, but I did enjoy some characters enough to wonder what would happen in this installment of the Fins series. You can read my review of Forgive My Fins HERE.

I found myself liking Fins Are Forever much more than Forgive My Fins, which was a nice surprise. This was fun and light. The perfect vacation or holiday read because even though it is almost 300 pages the lettering is big. I didn’t get annoyed at all the fish references this time because it seems there are not as many of them.

Lily is now living on land and trying to figure out her future now that she will not be queen of Thalassinia. I liked Lily’s character in Fins Are Forever. I was so happy to see that Ms. Childs had matured her character and leveled her out some. I do wish I could have seen Lily with Quince more. Quince was my favorite character from book one and I felt like I only saw him coming or going in Fins are Forever.

I enjoyed the plot of Fins Are Forever. I liked not knowing at the turn of every page what was going to happen, but I would have liked more time to enjoy it. For example in the case of Doe. I liked were everything was going with her character, and I liked the end resolve. But, I would have liked to have seen that resolve a lot more than just being told what happened.

Overall I enjoyed Fins Are Forever and I will read the next. This series is great when you’re in that fluffy and fun kind of mood.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

November 25 is my birthday and I wanted to celebrate with all my wonderful followers! So I thought what better way to celebrate than with a giveaway Because honestly Bending The Spine and Y’all have made my bookish life all the happier.

What am I giving away?

Your choice of one book up to $15 (US) from Book Depository. So if they ship to you you’re in! If I were to hit 500 followers while this giveaway is still going on I will add a second place giveaway of one book up to $10 (US)